Fulham targets Dries Mertens and Kevin Strootman...

[Mr Fulham]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12876_7006793,00.html

.....are set to move to PSV. :012:

[NorthernWhite]

El Hamdaoui being heavily linked with PSV in the Dutch press today as well.

[Burt]

That'll leave a few holes in our transfer activity.

I hope the Godfarjer has a few tricks and plan B's up his sleeves.

[HatterDon]

If they'd rather play in Holland than in the Prem in England, then they either aren't ambitious enough, or they've assessed their talents well and know where they can thrive and survive.

In other words, if they're going to PSV, they probably wouldn't hack it in the Prem anyhow. Turn the page.

[Mr Fulham]

Well, Mertens is a class act as Mr Sipwell will confirm. Deffo prem quality. And exactly the player we need IMHO.

[sipwell]

If they'd rather play in Holland than in the Prem in England, then they either aren't ambitious enough, or they've assessed their talents well and know where they can thrive and survive.

In other words, if they're going to PSV, they probably wouldn't hack it in the Prem anyhow. Turn the page.

That felt like a knife going slowly through my chest :o

Mertens is still young, has only limited experience at a good level (note: not that many caps yet for the Belgian Wünderteam) and PSV wouldn't be a bad move. He can get experience in European football and know the feel of a team that needs to win the title. Mertens is one of those football players who see their career as a step by step event. Sure he can come to Fulham but would he be guaranteed first team football? I am not sure. Better to get football miles in a competitive team than to "rot" on a bench, even if it is the bench of the most beautiful club in the world.

As for the Dutchman: who? :)

[BalDrick]

But were either of these links ever genuine? There are plenty of agents who throw our name into the mix whenever a certain level of player starts doing the merry-go-round. I'm pretty confident Jol will have a few players lined up - apart from anything else he seems to have known he was likely to get the Fulham gig before he actually did so he may well have a few deals on hold already. Think I'm right in saying players' contracts end on Thursday, ie 30/6, wouldn't mind betting it's club policy never to buy anyone before that as the fee would be affected by them having longer on their contract, plus of course they're not actually going to be involved in any meaningful action* until July/August anyway.


*I know we have a game on Thursday, I don't mean it's unimportant but frankly, the calibre of player we already have must be plenty good enough to get past what will be a very weak team I have no doubt.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

But were either of these links ever genuine? There are plenty of agents who throw our name into the mix whenever a certain level of player starts doing the merry-go-round. I'm pretty confident Jol will have a few players lined up - apart from anything else he seems to have known he was likely to get the Fulham gig before he actually did so he may well have a few deals on hold already. Think I'm right in saying players' contracts end on Thursday, ie 30/6, wouldn't mind betting it's club policy never to buy anyone before that as the fee would be affected by them having longer on their contract, plus of course they're not actually going to be involved in any meaningful action* until July/August anyway.


*I know we have a game on Thursday, I don't mean it's unimportant but frankly, the calibre of player we already have must be plenty good enough to get past what will be a very weak team I have no doubt.

This is my feeling - if Jol was ever really interested, he could easily have thrown in a bid, even if it was just a stalling tactic.

Methinks he has a few cards up his sleeve, and as usual, we wont know till Mr.Fulham find out!